Play the Recorder!

Recorder players from across North America celebrate March as "Play-the-Recorder Month". Many ARS chapters, consorts and recorder orchestras plan special concerts and presentations to illustrate the versatility and beauty of this wonderful instrument. TRS members enjoyed celebrating Play the Recorder Month and Recorder Day.

On Friday, March 18, six elementary students in the Beginning Recorder Class at The Exploris School in Raleigh, NC made a video showing off their new skills, in honor of Play-the-Recorder Month! They worked hard for weeks under the guidance of TRS member Dana Deaton, using the Recorder Karate curriculum, with help from TRS members Nancy Schecter, Jan Jenkins and Mary Norris. Attached is a video of the children playing ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’. They were an enthusiastic group, the second group to be offered this recorder elective (the school is a charter school, so parents provide many of the electives). This was a great introduction to playing an instrument, or adding an instrument. Some really caught fire, and Dana made sure to tell them all about TRS, ARS, and opportunities to play all kinds of recorders as they grow.

Then on Saturday April 2, 2016, dozens of tired but happy TRS workshop participants joined in playing Matthias Maute’s “Steamed Bass and Fischmaul”, at the finale of our Spring Fling at First Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC. (See our squeaky iPhone video below!) We were privileged to have Valerie Horst of New York as a special guest, as well as wonderful returning instructors Stewart Carter (Winston-Salem), Patricia Petersen, Kathy Schenley, Doug Young and Jennifer Streeter. Participants in the workshop ranged from low-intermediate to advanced, and a good time was had by all!